According to AFP, the Council said: "This regime of unrestrained barbarism targeted with tanks the minaret of the Omari mosque, a place full of symbols of civilisation and spirituality and humanity."

"The minaret of this mosque, which was build by Caliph Omar bin al-Khattab, is the first in the whole of the Levant, and has been destroyed by the soldiers of the tyrant," it added, referring to President Assad.

At the start of the uprising, the mosque was briefly used as a civilian hospital for wounded protestors and, for the past two years, it has been a gathering place for anti-regime protestors.

"It was the first place that embraced the Syrian revolution during its infancy, the first wave of demonstrations of pride and dignity came out through its doors," said the Council.

Opposition group, the Local Coordination Committees of Syria (LCC), reportedly condemned the destruction of the minaret as a "barbaric act," adding: "It is not just stones that are destroyed but also religious and historic heritage cherished by the Syrian people."

According to CNN, the LCC said there was shelling using surface-to-surface missiles and phosphorus bombs in Daraa and other parts of the country on Saturday.

Opposition activists have reportedly told the news site that the government is using an increasing number of phosphorus bombs - incendiary weapons that can cause serious chemical burns - in its attacks.

According to the LCC, by the end of Saturday, 115 people were killed in Syria, including 12 in Daraa.

Why am I not surprised to read this? I have said all along, Bashar al Assad deems himself indispensible and irreplaceable, but if he were to take a dream trip, he would see that Syria and its neighboring countries would fare just as well if not better were he out of the picture altogether. No one cares that his family has ruled for four or however many generations as the key power in Syria. All we care about now is seeing that the rightful recognized leader of the FSA can take office to make it official. I have again said all along that Assad will not step down for to do so is to admit defeat and be shamed for the worse kind of human being that he has become. He doesn't deserve to even be in Syria. It is almost like he is defiantly saying if I can't have it, nobody will. Thus, he is striking out his anger and bitterness of spirit by destroying the most revered and holy places of the Syrian citizens and the nation of Syria.

There won't be much Syria left after Assad is done. Yet we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Meanwhile the Syrian people suffer; and Russia and China continue to make a mockery of the United Nations.
Since when did we surrender the world's conscience to the likes of totalitarian regimes?
Russia and China treat their people no better. Why would they blink an eye to the atrocities of Assad?